


Dearly Departed

by CrystalNavy



Series: Stories From The Other Side [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Dead People, Everyone is Dead, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-12 09:49:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 2,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17465216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalNavy/pseuds/CrystalNavy
Summary: What happens when dead characters meet one another?Absolute chaos, that's what, especially since there are five Ds among them, and a couple more who might as well be Ds in all but name.One thing is for sure, nobody will ever forget them, and the world will hear their story.





	1. Big Brother's Instinct

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anyone could take a role of a Big Brother.

They didn't know how to go about this.

Didn't know what to say or do to change the circumstances. 

And so, they watched helplessly as Whitebeard walked past them, accompanied by Ace and Thatch. Watched with trepidation, knowing that there was nothing they could say, that there was nothing they can do. That the choices they made long ago came to bite them. That those choices hung from their necks like heavy stones.

They tried to deny it, they really did. But they couldn't.

They spent nearly a decade in this dark, damp place, devoid of warmth.

Yet, for the first time they got here, both Gol D. Roger and Portgas D. Rouge felt afraid. Afraid of loneliness.

Afraid that their only child would abandon them now and forget all about them.

That he'd hate them for condemning him to death.

The jovial, happy laughter faded as the trio rounded the corner, disappearing. 

The Moby Dick was anchored, and its Klabautermann sat on its railing, playing a tune which was both sad and happy. 

Then he looked up, meeting their gazes, and gave them a miniscule nod, inviting them to come aboard. Which they did.

The Klabautermann played for a while longer, before he put the harp aside.

"So you want to know more, eh?" he asked them

Roger and Rouge looked at one another, before nodding.

"Before I begin." he stared into the distance "You must know that as their ship, I got attached to every single member of our crew, including the vile scum who desecrated my flag and everything we stood for. You also must know that I am rather protective of every single member of the crew that I carried, with a single exception."

He closed his eyes with a fond smile, before he continued.

"But among all of the people I carried, all of the people in the crew, he stood out. He let me know things he never told anybody else. I knew who his family was long before he told any living soul, Captain included. I knew that Captain was planning to make him his successor. I knew that he feared rejection. I knew that he hated his father. That he blamed said father for the stigma he was facing, for the fear he faced every day. That he would be caught and that the rest of us would raise hell for his sake, and that we would go down in the process. That was his worst nightmare, which ultimately did come to pass."

Here, the Klabautermann fixated Roger and Rouge with a sharp glare.

"He was the youngest among us. Every single member of the crew adored him, whether they admitted it or not. Their feelings were all absorbed into me, and a result, I am very much protective of him." he continued frostily "Which is why I blame you for what happened to him. For the fact that he had to go through every single day believing the world hated him because he existed. For the fact that he hated himself because his mind was poisoned by the very people who hated your guts. Which naturally, led to him believing that those people were right, that he didn't deserve to exist, for twenty years, right up until he died."

Moby Dick exhaled slowly.

"Bottom line is that you are the cause of his misery, and you need to take responsibility for it. He is your child, so you need to deal with this on your own. I say this as a big brother. Only you can help alleviate the pain he has endured for the past twenty years." his eyes narrowed "Only you can fix the mess you've caused. And if you don't......Well, then I'll make sure that you'll regret it. And that you'll find out that even as a ship, I can make good on my threats just fine."


	2. By The Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Several acquaintances discuss things by the fire.

The fire burned with clear orange hue, illuminating the faces of those who sat around it. They were a rather diverse group, but they had one common trait. They all died as a result of a Marine-sanctioned genocide. Not that any of them regretted dying the way they did. On their way out, they had ensured that one of their own would survive, and their legacy with her. 

On the rock next to them, there was a visual transponder snail which enabled the user to watch the events unfolding in the land of the living. This was one of the perks offered by the powers-that-be. Anyone who wanted one received one to be used at their leisure, as long as they broke no rules regarding the usage.

Right now, it was depicting a very familiar ship, and a very familiar crew. Everyone who had gathered let out a collective whoop of joy. Everyone except a white-haired woman in the middle, who merely smiled at the screen. They watched in silence, not saying a word. Knowing that they ensured the future of the girl whom they all considered their daughter was enough, and no words were needed.

"I remember when we first met her. She was a little beansprout back then, but even then, her curiosity was strong. She probably thought I was a boogeyman when I saw her first. Thankfully, I was quick to prove her wrong."

"She was exceptionally bright, and one of the youngest people to officially join our ranks. We knew the danger, yet we still let her have that."

"Even so, we should have known better. Granting her wish condemned her to the life on the run, with no one trust or rely on."

"Until she met them."

"I promised to her that she'd find them long before she met them, didn't I?"

"Yeah, so you had. Must be the intuition of a D."

"Touche."

"Ds are everywhere, to be honest. They should be grateful. After all, what she is doing might give them everything they have ever wanted. The Great Kingdom was ruled by their ancestors, I bet my middle finger on it."

"You mean that once she uncovers the truth, my fellow Ds will inherit the world as descendants of the original rulers?"

"That's our hypothesis, anyway. But we'll know one way or another once they reach the Island of Miracles."

After that, nobody else spoke anything more as the group continued watching the wacky hijinks that people on the screen had gotten themselves into.


	3. Leave The Past Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, no matter how painful the past, all you need to do is look at the future.

She was a child.

One that experienced horrors that few people had, but still a child.

And he was one of the people who could understand what she was going through, based on the information he was given.

With that in mind, Donquixote 'Corazon' Rocinante, who had the blood of the Gods in his veins, sat next to one of the people who were meant to slay his kind.

Except that they were both dead, which meant it was a moot point.

"Your full name is Trafalgar D. Water Lammy, am I correct?" he asked casually, trying to hide his true emotions

The girl looked at him with amber eyes. Eyes which bore uncanny resemblance to Law's own. Eyes which reflected natural curiosity.

And for the second time, Corazon got attached.

"I met your brother." Corazon admitted quietly

That got her attention, and her head quickly snapped up.

"You......met.....Nii-sama?" she asked earnestly 

"I did indeed." Corazon gave her a proud smile "And I helped him to survive and overcome his burden."

"Glad he is okay." Lammy smiled, before that smile turned into a frown "But the crusade against us isn't over. We who have the secret name pose a threat to natural world order, do we not?"

"It's your destiny to bring down the Celestial Dragons." Corazon confirmed "So yeah, that makes those like you a threat. One day, all the remaining Ds will rise up and strike back against the Gods of this world, taking back what they have lost in the process. Too bad none of us would be around to see it. Then again, we have accepted that fate."

"You're right." Lammy nodded, burying her face into her arms "Still, I wish I could see Nii-sama again."

And Corazon didn't know what to say that. Still, he had an idea.

"Say, would you like to form a group of sorts, where people with the name of D can talk with one another about a variety of subjects?"

"I'd like that very much." Lammy suddenly beamed, and a sunny smile appeared on her face

"Then, I'll gather the Ds that are in this realm, and ask the bosses if they'd allow it." Corazon stood up "I'll let you know about the outcome as soon as possible."


	4. The Beauty and The Tragedy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They represented hope to their people, and both of their tales ended in tragedy. Here, they get a chance to meet once again.

Kind-hearted royals were rare in this world.

Yet at the same time, there were exceptions.

Otohime was one of those exceptions. Despite her frailty, she was adored by her people. Even a so-called God was taken in by her ideals of the new future that he stepped down from his lofty position, and declared himself a human, much like his cousin had before him. 

And yet, in a rather cruel twist of fate, she was shot by one of her trusted commanders, and her dream crumbled. 

Right now, she sat on the edge of the pier, as water lapped at her tail, thinking about the world she had left behind.

"Don't worry about them." a familiar voice spoke, as a familiar presence sat down next to her "You can't fight their battles for them, and thinking about that will eventually break you."

"You're right." Otohime agreed "It's time to leave the past behind."

"Just be yourself."

"What about you, though?" Otohime looked up "You suffered just as much as I had, if not more."

"True." her companion agreed "We're in the same boat, you and I. We left them behind, and they're probably grieving."

"That's what usually happens when you lose someone important to you." Otohime deadpanned "And we were important. People actually looked up to us."

"So they had. No doubt our actions will have a lasting impact upon the new generations. My two successors would make sure of that much."


	5. You Aren't Just a Burden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He is lost, but he is not alone.

He tossed and turned in his bed. During the day, he had people who helped him forget, which meant he was able to force those feelings - feelings of fear and loathing, feelings of self-hate - to the back of his mind.

Nights, on the other hand......those were a different story. During nights, those feelings would return with a vengeance, and he had no one who'd help him. No one who would squander their precious sleep time for someone like him, who didn't deserve it.

Livimg embodiment of sin, the voices in his head chanted.

Demon, they called him.

Everyone you love or care about will rejoice when you're gone, they said. 

They will be dancing on your grave, they insisted.

And he couldn't banish their words to the back of his mind like usual.

Because he knew that those voices were correct. 

He knew that much, and there was no one to tell him otherwise. No one, for they were all asleep.

Like he should have been, but couldn't.

So he opted for a nice midnight walk. 

He stopped on the shores of the sea, staring at the large body of water, illuminated by moonlight. 

"It's beautiful." he felt a presence sit beside him 

He turned his head to look at Thatch, before nodding.

"Are you okay?" Thatch asked, concerned

"I am." he lied

"You don't look like you're okay." Thatch observed 

"Can we please not talk about this?" he asked sharply "This is my problem, and no one else needs to involve themselves into it."

"As you want." Thatch made a metal note to discuss it with Whitebeard and the rest of the crew 

He knew a guilt complex was like, and he knew all the effects the one who suffered from it received. 

"The ocean is beautiful tonight." Thatch said instead 

"Yes, it is." he agreed "It reminds me of how the ocean used to sparkle when I watched it during my stay on my home island."

And for a while, the two of them just sat there watching the sea and the sounds it created.


	6. Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What measure is a hero?

Sora Vinsmoke stood by the water. 

The name she bore was not a coincidence, or at least she liked to think so. It was symbolic. She was named after the fabled hero, whose enemies were Germa 66, the army her husband commanded.

And just like her namesake, she fought against Germa 66 in her own way.

And she didn't regret what she had done, not in the slightest. Her child would live free. Her child would love and be loved in return. That was what she had given up her own life for.

Life after death was not something she believed in, but it wasn't something she completely dismissed either. 

And now that she was experiencing life after death, she couldn't deny that it was a wonderful experience.

The only downside she could see was that she had no one she was familiar with.

But Sora was headstrong and stubborn. If there was no one she knew around here, then she would get to know someone, and form new connections.

She was a firm believer in the fact that no one could survive alone, and that everyone needed a friend who would support them in their time of need, and vice versa.


	7. Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time is a cruel mistress.

Time would eventually take everything that overstayed its welcome in the realm of the living.

What awaited beyond the door of death was an eternal mystery to most people.

But what was not known to the world of the living was well-known to those who were dead.

And what awaited beyond the door was an entirely new world, full of new possibilities.

Whitebeard raised his glass with a happy smile. 

The two sons who shared the experiences of this realm with him were seated atop each of his knees.

If someone would have asked him if he regretted the manner of his death, the answer would have been a resounding no.

His time had long passed, and he was content.

No, the thing he regretted the most was the fact that Thatch and Ace had become casualties as well. Casualties of the world and the system it put in place, and the power-hungry people which were created by said system. He hadn't forgotten the man who had a hand in both of their deaths: Blackbeard, whom he used to call his son. But not anymore.

Blackbeard would get what was coming to him, one way or another.

He cast a tender glance at the two men using his body as a chair, and he laughed.

He was happy.

And he would do his best to ensure they were happy as well.


End file.
